Off Key
by Bookish Cupcake
Summary: [pre-series, established relationship] Ever since that concert, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline have been inseparable. But when Marceline stops showing up, their relationship may go off kilter.
Princess Bubblegum stared outside the palace window, watching the moon set in the distance. She traced her fingers over the letters on the well-worn band t-shirt from all those years ago. Once more, the other woman was no-show. The princess sighed, began folding the shirt, and delicately placed it in the drawer next to her beside.

Looking in the mirror, she straightened her posture and lifted her chin. A leader had duties to her subjects, not simply her own heart. She steeled herself, prepared to meet the day with grace, elegance, and scientific experimentation. A shadow crept up.

"Looking that grim doesn't suit you, Bonnie."

Princess Bubblegum spun around and venomously eyed the vampire at the window. "Two weeks! I nearly gave up on you!"

Marceline's floating figured touched down onto the windowsill. "But you didn't, did you?"

Bubblegum's fists balled up. "You are infuriating! You just can't casually show up like this after making me wait and expect everything to be fine!" Faint traces of tears started welling up, but she willed herself not to shed them. "I thought something happened to you," she said quietly. "I was about to ask Finn to go on a quest."

Marceline hopped lightly onto the ground. She was lucky to arrive when she did. The sunlight, even this early in the morning, drained her considerably. "I'm here, I'm safe, what more do you want? Look, I just want to spend some time with you."

"No, Marceline, I can't let you just keep coming and going in my life like this," Bubblegum said firmly. "You owe me an explanation this time."

Marceline huffed. "Look, can we just drop it? I'm here, aren't I? Let's just listen to some tunes."

The offer was tempting. Bubblegum wanted nothing more than to relax, to relive the music from that fateful concert. She ached to simply play the record, let the melodies wash over their bodies and renew their tired hearts. Had those moments passed already? Those moments with butterfly kisses, long sighs, and trembling fingertips?

"I can't," she said. For a moment, it was like she was convincing herself. "I've grown up, but it seems you haven't. Just leave and let me move on."

Marceline glanced back at the window, gentle sunlight starting to pour in. Then back at her girlfriend- her maybe-girlfriend, it seemed. She sighed. "It's not what you think," she said after a moment of still silence. She knew she was irresponsible. She knew she didn't fit the mold of what royalty needed, what Bonnie needed. "I... was scared," she finally admitted.

Bubblegum held back a scoff. "Of what? You're not afraid of anything."

For a moment, the vampire wanted to leave it at that, backtrack the conversation. She was Marceline the Vampire Queen. She grew up in the Nightosphere. She fought creatures unknown to the Land of Ooo. What in the realms did she have to be afraid of? Yet the words poured out like a gushing river.

"Not being good enough for you," she said quickly. "I thought I could get over this, over you, but I can't." She turned. The sunlight was weak, but she could still make it. She started moving away when she felt a grip on her arm. She didn't have the courage to turn to face Bubblegum.

"This is why we need to talk, Marcy," she said softly. "It's okay to share your feelings."

Marceline bit her lip, her fangs poking in and drawing droplets of blood. She took a deep, comforting breath. Before she could gather the courage, Bubblegum pulled her close, with more strength than Marceline assumed she had. So close, she could feel the princess's rhythmic heart beat against her own undead chest. Marceline closed her arms around the princess and willed her head to stop spinning.

"You're a legit princess, like, an official ruler with an official kingdom. You have responsibilities and regulations and rules. I'm..." Her voice started to falter. Okay, yeah sure, she was a "queen." But Nightosphere? That's ruled by unbridled chaos. A strum of offbeat notes compared to the organized symphony of the Candy Kingdom.

Bubblegum pulled back and brush her partner's cheek before going in for a light kiss. "A good ruler works on effective communication," she said softly after pulling back. Her hands drifted to Marceline's sides, resting on her hips. "Which, I suppose, means I should have asked what was wrong."

Marceline kissed her forehead and smiled, her energy returning. "So how about those tunes?"

Bubblegum chuckled. Light poured in from the rising sun. Her kingdom was waking and responsibilities called. "You are taking a nap, ma'am. Princess's orders. But I'll be back this evening, okay?"

Marceline watched her princess take off, head high and with an air of royalty. She wondered for moment, if perhaps, they made the right decision. She pushed the thought aside and went to close the curtains. She wanted to feel calm, at peace, in the darkness. But the silence sank in, threatening to swallow her.

She collapsed in bed, thought of Bubblegum, and hummed a tune to stave off the loneliness.


End file.
